Suction sweeper



May 4, 193.7.

J. B. KIRBY SUCTION SWEEPER Filed June 26, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l -FAIy/MW Fig.

IVVENTO/f James B. Kirby hij `T/\'A\"EY May 4, 1937. .1. B. KIREsY SUCTION SWEEPER Filed June 26, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L C ILHN lll:

James B Kir-1yr /NI/ENTOR /gw R725 TORNEY Patented May 4, 1937 UNITED STATES SUCTION SWEEPER James B. Kirby, West Richileldfhio, assignor to Industrial Improvements Incorporated, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 26, 1933, serial No. s'z'zoz l 7 Claims.

This invention relates to suction cleaners and in particular suction sweepers employing a rotat-c ably driven litter agitatin'g brush and it constitutes a continuation in part of my copending applications Serial No. 439,140, iiled by me July 19, 1930, and Serial No'. 509,862, filed by me January 19, 1931.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an improved form of brush drive and brush mounting for such sweepers.

Another object of this invention is to provide a foot pedal controlled device for adjusting the elevation of a vacuum cleaner nozzle.

A further object of this invention relates to the provision of an improved form of sectional cleaner casing employing sections which may be readily formed from die-castings and which sections do not necessitate the use of complicated or expensive dies in connection with the die-casting of such casing parts.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts, hereinafter illustrated and described in some of its embodiments in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out inthe appended claims. In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a vacuum cleaner illustrating one form of the invention, the sectional part ofthe view being taken on broken line I-I, Figure 2; Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2--2, Figure l; Figure 3 is a reduced side elevational view taken on line 33, Figure 1, showing the rear part of the cleaner with the motor removed; Figure 4 is a detail view partly in section showing the elements of the supporting wheel or nozzle height adjustment; Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line. 5,-5, Figure 6 of another form of cleaner illustrative of the invention; Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line '6-6, Figure 5 with certain of the operating parts removed -from the cleaner casing; Figure 7 is a reduced side elevational view showing the rear of the cleaner illustrated in Figures '5 and 6; Figure 8 is a detail side elevational view of the casing part which forms the lower'half of the fan case and a p art of the suction nozzle; and Figure 9 is an enlarged detail view partly in section of the casing supporting, wheel elevation adjusting means.

In the drawings the casing of the cleaner illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 comprises a motor housing or motor cap I to which is secured a casting 2 which forms part of a `suction chamber or nozzle and part of a fan case. A plate 3 cooperates (ci. aso- 44) with thev casting 2 to form the bottom part of the suction nozzle and a fourth element 4 forms one-half of the fan case. The section 4 has integrally formed therewith a discharge'conduit 5 for the fan case. 5

The section 4 ofthe fan case is secured to the other halt of the fan case formed in the casting 2, by any suitable means such as'screws 6, one of which isv provided at the top and bottom of the fan case. The motor'cap I is secured to the fan case by screws 1. The mating edges of the fan case maybe grooved as shown at 8 ,to receive a strip of packing material to provide for sealing engagement at this joint of the casing. The bottom plate 3 is pivotally connected to the casting 2 by means of a hinge Ill. The bottom plate 3 has side walls II and a front wall I2 integrally formed therewith. The walls Il cooperate with the walls of the casting 2 and the bottom plate 3 in forming the suction chamber. 20

The lower edge of the front wall I2 of the plate 3 forms the rear lip of the working mouth of the suction nozzle, the outer end portions of such wall being extended upwardly as at I3 to form the lower half of the rear wall of the outer end por.- tions of the nozzle. Suitable stops such as the ball and spring arrangement shown at I4 are provided to hold the hingedbottom plate 3 in operative position on the nozzle of the cleaner.

The cleaner casing is carried on a rear supporting wheel I5 and a pair of forward supporting wheels I6. The' front wheels are journaled for rotation upon pins Il, one of which is carried by a crank arm I8 and the other of which is carried by a segmental member 38. The crank I 8 and member 38 are xedly secured at the opposite ends of a crank shaft 2li` The shaft 20 is held in position in a groove formed in the plate 3 by means of a clip 2l and its securing screw 22. A motor (not shown) is carried in the motor` cap or housing I. The motor has la shaft 23 projecting through the fan case and carrying on its outer extremity a belt pulley 24. A fan 25 is xed on thev shaft 23 and mounted for rotation in the fan case.

Abracket 26 is iixedly secured to a wedge shaped block formed on the lower part of the casting 2 within the suction chamber. A jack-shaft 21 is carried in this bracket. The jack-shaft at one end provides a bearing for a pair of rotatable 5o pulleys 28 and 30 and adjacent to and on the other end of the jack-shaft there is pivotally secured a bracket 3l.- This bracket terminates in a pair of laterally spaced arms 32 between .which a brush 33 is mounted for rotation. The 55 bracket 3| is arranged to have a limited amount of movement about the' axis of the shaft 21 and it provides a iioating support for the rotatable brush 33.

The brush 33 has'at its center a belt pulley 34. 'This pulley is connected by means of a belt 35 to the jack-shaft pulley 38. The jack-shaft pulley 28 is iixed to turn with the pulley 310 and it is connected by means of abelt 36 to the motor driven pulley 24. The pulley 24 is of smaller diameter than the pulley 28 and the pulley 38 is of smaller diameter than the brush pulley 34. By reason of this arrangement a two-step speed reduction is provided between the motor and the brush.

The brush 33 has two oppositely disposed rows of bristles 31 so that the carpet is swept twice for each revolution of the brush. This form of brush when used in connection with a speed reducing drive of the type shown allows thebrush to be operated at a much lower rate of speed than is ordinarily required in. onder4 to perform satisfactory work with a brush having asingle row of bristles for in the use oi such a' brush the carpet is contacted or brushed but once for each revolution of the brush and if such of the wheel supporting crank shaft 20.

a cleaner is advanced rather rapidly over a carpet it will leave brush marks, particularly if the brush is operated as slowly as it is in the present cleaner. The use of a slow speed brush with two rows of bristles greatly reduces brush wear without sacrificing anything in the way of cleaning eiiciency.

A quadrant 38- is xedly secured to one end This quadrant is provided with an upper set of ratchet teeth 4|! and to a lower set of ratchet teeth 4|. A foot operated pad 42 carried by the quadrant 38 is provided Vfor effecting the angular movement of the shaft 20 in one direction. A lever 43 having a foot operated pad 44 is pivoted at 45 to the cleaner casing. This lever is provided for adjusting the crank shaft 28 in an angular direction reverse to the direction it is operated by means of the pad 42.

A spring 46 engages one end of the lever '43 for the purpose of holding one of the corners ofv an offset triangular block 41 in engagement with one of the teeth of the upper ratchet 4|). The lower corner of the triangular block is provided for engagement with the lower ratchet teeth 4|. The cleaner casing is provided with an indicating arrow 48 which cooperateswith the numerals formed on the outer upper face 50 of the quadrant 38 to indicate the elevation of the cleaner nozzle with respect to the working surface.

In the operation of the'wheel adjustment, the depressing of fthe pedal or pad 42 serves to raise the cleaner nozzle with respect tothe supporting surface. The cleaner nozzle is lowered a distance proportional to the space between oneof the upper notches each time the pad 44 is depressed. The block 41 in its operation, alternately engages with the lower and upper notches to prevent the nozzle of the cleaner casing from being lowered more than one division of the indicating scalefor each time the pad 44 is de.-

pressed. The force of gravity is utilized in effecting the downward adjustment of'the cleaner nozzle, the block 41 cooperating with the opposite rows of ratchet teeth to effect the lowering thereof in a step-by-step manner.

In the form of the device illustrated in Figures 5 to 9 the cleaner casingis of slightly diierent form and construction. In this form oi the invintegral with the casting 68, is formed from a separate casting 62, provided at its sides with lateral extensions 63 and 64 which are drilled for the reception of screws 65 for securing this section of the casing to the casting 60. The lower half of the fan case is also provided with vertical, forwardly extending side wall portions 66 and end wall portions 61, the wall portions 66 form the lower side walls of the suction chamber oi' the casing and the end walls 61 form the lower rear endgwall portions of the suction mouth of the cleaner. i

A bottom plate 68 having -vertical side walls 69, is hinged at 18 to the lower rear part of the casting 60. A spring catch 1| is carried by the casting 68 to hold the plate 68 in its operative position. The forward edge of the'plate 68 is provided With a wall part 12 which forms the intermediate part of the rear lip of the suction mouth of the cleaner. The wall parts 66 and 61 of the casting 62, abut at their upper edges against the under face of the casting 60 which forms the top half of the fan case and suction chamber. 4

The discharge outlet 13 of the fan case is lntegrally formed with the casing casting 68. A motor cap 14 is secured rearwardly of the casting 60 by screws 15. The brush mounting and brush drive are substantially the same as in the form of the invention shown in Figures l to 4. The front supporting wheels of the cleaner are carried on a crank arm 16 and a segment 18 which are fixed to a shaft 11 in much the same manner as was done in the cleaner shown in Figures 1 to 4.

A modiiied form of wheel adjustment is provided, however, in the present form of cleaner. This adjustment comprises a segment 18 having a single row of ratchet teeth' 80. An operating lever 8| having an oiset ratchet tooth engaging member 82 is pivotally and slldably secured to a pin 83 carried by one of the elements of the cleaner casing. The operating member 8| is held in its upper and forward position by means of a return spring 84. The lever 8l has a foot pad 85 by means of which it is operated by the foot of the user of the cleaner. This part of the device is provided for lowering the wheels 6|' with respect to the cleaner casing which serves to eicctthe raising of the cleaner nozzle-With respect to the working surface.

A second lever 86 having a pad 81 is pivoted at 88 to the cleaner casing. A spring 98 serves to hold the ratchet tooth engaging part 92 into engagement with one of the teethv 88 of the quadrant or sector 18. A second tooth engaging part 94 is provided on the lever 86 at the other side of the pivot 84 to engage with the teeth of the quadrant to limit the movement thereof to steps of one tooth at a time. A stop 95 is supported by the cleaner casing beneath the lever 8| to limit its movement to a. distance equivalent toone of the ratchet teeth 80.

By reason of the arrangement just describen.` when the pad 81 is lepressed the cleaner nozzle will be lowered a distance equivalent the space of one of the teeth of the quadrant 18.

In a sim ilar manner when the pedal 85 is depressed the cleaner will be raised a distance equivalent to the spacing between one of the teeth of the quadrant- 18. The wheel adjusting Ameans shown in `both i'orms of the invention provide a convenient and ready means 4foreiifecting in a step-by-step manner the up and down adjustment of the cleaner nozzle with respect to the Working surface.

' Furthermorel it is to be .understood that the -particular forms of apparatus shown and .de-

scribed, and the particular procedure set forth are presented for purposes of explanation and f2. In a portable device of the class described,A supporting wheels for the device, means for ro.

tatably andY movably supporting said wheels,

- ratchet means for adjusting the position of said wheels with respect to the device whereby the device may be raised or lowered, said means comprising a pair of foot operated pedals amociated with said ratchet means, one for raising and the other for lowering the device to various operating positions in a step-by-step manner.

3. In a portable device of the class described, supporting wheels for the device, means for adjustably and rotatably supporting said wheels, whereby the device may be raised or lowered with respectto the working surface, and a pair of toot operated pedals, one for raising and the other for lowering the device in a step-by-step manner to its various adjusted Voperating positions.

4. In a portable device o! the class described.

supporting wheels for the device, and means for mounting said wheels for rotatable and bodily movements with respect to said device, said -means including a rack and a pair of downwardly movable foot-operated members associated therewith for effecting bodily adjustment of the position of said wheels, one of said footoperated members being fixed for movement with said rack and the other of said foot-operated members/cooperating with said rack ,to provide a stop therefor.

5. In a portable device of the class described, supporting wheels for the device, and means for mounting said wheels for rotatable and bodily movements with respect to said device, said means including arack and a pair. of downwardly movable foot-operated members associated therewith for effecting bodily adjustment of the position of said wheels, one of said foot-A operated members being xed for movement with said rack and the other of. said foot-operated members cooperating with said rack to provide a releasable stop therefor for controlling bodily movement of said wheels in one direction.

6. In aA portable device of the class described, supporting wheels for the deviceand means for adjustably and rotatably supporting said wheels, whereby the device may be raised or lowered with respect to the working surface, said means including downwardly movable foot-operated elements, one for raising and the other for lowering the device lin a step-by-step manner'to its various acusted operating positions. l

7. In a portable device of the class described, a supporting wheel at each side of the device, both located forwardly of the center of gravity and rearwardly of the front end of the device, mechanism for mounting said wheels on the device for simultaneous and bodily adjustable movement relative thereto, and means for eiecting the operation of said mechanism, said means including downwardly movable, foot-'operated elements,

one for raising and the other for lowering the Ifront end of the device in a stepby-step manner to its various adjusted operating positions;

HJAMES B. KIIRBY.v 

